Unidentified men push labourer into furnace in Punjab

Amritsar: A labourer suffered burn injuries on his face when some unidentified persons reportedly forced his head into a furnace but police on Friday said he received the burns because of boiling water falling on him accidentally.

Shamu (28) was admitted to the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital here with burn injuries on his face last night, police said

Following the incident, a private channel reported that a migrant labourer in Amritsar was attacked for robbery by three unidentified men in police uniform.

When Shamu refused to give them money, the men allegedly forced his head down a lit tandoor, and held it there for a couple of minutes, the channel said.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Ram Singh, however, denied the news on the television channel and said that it was a "concocted story".

He said the incident occurred last evening when Shamu was drinking alcohol with his friend Jagdeep, who is a constable with Punjab police.

During the drinking session drops of boiled water fell on Shamu`s face when his foot accidentally hit a container of boiled water lying nearby, he said.